PM backs Sonia on bills issue
6 Oct 2012 2:29 AM GMT
The Prime Minister’s Office [PMO] has defended the Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the issue of expenses on foreign travels. In a statement issued on Friday, the PMO said that the Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's claim that about Rs 1,880 crore was spent on Gandhi's foreign visits was 'untrue and misleading'.
The PMO statement said that the UPA government did not spend money on her overseas visits or her medical treatment abroad or in India. 'Media reports quoting certain quarters about massive expenses from the exchequer on the UPA chairperson's overseas visits have been brought to the notice of the Prime Minister's Office. The reports quoting an expense of Rs 1,880 crore are untrue and misleading,' the PMO said in a statement.
'The Central Information Commissioner has already denied these reports and made a statement. The Prime Minister's Office would like to put on record that the Government has incurred no expenses on UPA Chairperson's visits abroad. Expenses for her security contingent are borne by the Special Protection Group,' the PMO said.
The statement said that during the last eight years, only one trip to Belgium was undertaken by Gandhi at the invitation of the Belgian government to receive a national honour, which was paid for by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. The total cost was less than Rs 3 lakh. 'It is further clarified that the Government has not borne any expenses for UPA chairperson's medical treatment abroad and in India,' the statement said.
The PMO statement said that the UPA government did not spend money on her overseas visits or her medical treatment abroad or in India. 'Media reports quoting certain quarters about massive expenses from the exchequer on the UPA chairperson's overseas visits have been brought to the notice of the Prime Minister's Office. The reports quoting an expense of Rs 1,880 crore are untrue and misleading,' the PMO said in a statement.
'The Central Information Commissioner has already denied these reports and made a statement. The Prime Minister's Office would like to put on record that the Government has incurred no expenses on UPA Chairperson's visits abroad. Expenses for her security contingent are borne by the Special Protection Group,' the PMO said.
The statement said that during the last eight years, only one trip to Belgium was undertaken by Gandhi at the invitation of the Belgian government to receive a national honour, which was paid for by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. The total cost was less than Rs 3 lakh. 'It is further clarified that the Government has not borne any expenses for UPA chairperson's medical treatment abroad and in India,' the statement said.
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